* <sleep name="Star Hostel Belgrade" alt="" address="Cara Urosa 37" directions="" phone="+381 62 224646" email="hostel_star@yahoo.com" fax="" url="http://www.starhostelbelgrade.com/" checkin="" checkout="" price="One of the verz 1st hostels in Belgrade to open in 2005. Prices in between €8 and €12, Single €21.">Air-conditioned, safe-lockers backpack size, free WIFI, coffee and tea, laundry, maps, big common room with movie collection, x-box, book exchange, very friendly staff, very knowledgeable about Belgrade and are there all the time for all your travel needs.</sleep>

Revision as of 17:19, 8 April 2013

Belgrade is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — have a look at each of them.

Belgrade (Serbian: Београд, Beograd) [1] — meaning 'White City' — is the capital of the Republic of Serbia. Various styles of architecture dominate the city, while its recent resurgence as the leading hub in south-eastern Europe make it a must see destination.

Understand

The St Sava Church, the biggest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world (a must-see for all visitors)

Knez Mihajlova, one of the most popular pedestrian-only streets in Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital of the Republic of Serbia and is, as such, the country's largest city with a population of about 1.7 million people [2]. It lies on the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The city has a long history, dating back to the 4th century BC, when the area was settled by Celtic tribes. Later on, it became the Roman city of Singidunum, and relics of that era can still be seen in the city, particularly at Kalemegdan Fortress. During the Middle Ages the town became a Serbian stronghold until the Ottoman invasion. In 1878, when Serbia got its independence, Belgrade became the capital of the new country.

After the First World War, Belgrade became the seat of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (in 1929, the country changed name to Kingdom of Yugoslavia) until its collapse, and it saw violence again in 1999 with NATO's bombing campaign. This often violent history and outside influence has colored much of Belgrade's evolution, which is evident in its culture and architecture. Often caught between the hammer and anvil of clashing empires, the city has taken on a unique character, reminiscent of both Austrian and Turkish influences, with a unique set of Communist elements thrown in as Yugoslavia was expelled from the Eastern Bloc in 1948. Yet, the city has its own spirit, and in it can be found some not only unique features, but also a healthy joie de vivre in its café culture, nightlife and often Mediterranean flavor in its view of life.

Whilst there isn't much by way of ethnic or cultural diversity in Belgrade, in terms of different migrant populations – compared to other European cities – there are minority communities (largely Roma and Chinese), as well as people from other former Yugoslav republics, such as Bosnia, Croatia and Macedonia. There is also a small expat community. Cultural events from round the world, however, are starting to be increasingly common, particularly in the spring and summer months, thanks in no small part to both local arts and culture organizations, as well as foreign embassies/cultural centers. These attract a good deal of local attention, and will help in raising the city's profile as a cultural hotspot.

Belgrade is an energetic city re-discovering its tourism potential. One great new magazine, White City is a must read for anyone who plans on visiting. They call themselves an urban magazine but it's a great lifestyle magazine written in English for both locals and foreigners. It's available at any place that sells magazines in Belgrade.

Get in

Building of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

By plane

Belgrade is serviced by Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (IATA: BEG) [3], about 12 kilomeetres west of the city, and is the home base of Jat Airways – Serbia's flag carrier airline – which flies to nearly 40 destinations worldwide. Other major airlines fly to Belgrade, such as Aeroflot, Qatar Airways and Swiss. Discount and no-frills carriers offer modest number of flights. Wizz Air has direct flights from London, Eindhoven, Memmingen, Gothenburg, Malmö, Charleroi, Rome, Stockholm and Dortmund to Belgrade. Germanwings does have a number of less expensive flights to cities across Europe and Norwegian Air is another low cost airline operating to Belgrade. easyJet flies from Milan. For travellers from Asia/Middle East, the low cost airline FlyDubai offers cheap direct connections from India, Sri Lanka and other destinations to Belgrade via Dubai. For a full list of carriers see Serbia#By_plane.

Airport transfer

If you prefer taxi, first of all, read General precautions below. Two years ago the city government introduced fixed fares for taxi drives between the airport and Belgrade. So it is now impossible to get ripped off by dishonest cab drivers. There are several zones, and the prices also depends on the season. Most taxi companies have price list in multiple languages, so ask for that. The price is around 1500 RSD for the centre and New Belgrade, and around 2000 RSD for the suburbs. It's good to know that downtown is some 18-20km away from the airport. Also, there is no luggage fee, so you absolutely don't have to pay for your luggage. You can order a taxi by phone. Or simply go left upstairs to the departure section and catch one of the taxis dropping off passengers. They will be happy for the return ride.

Bus line #72 runs twice an hour (quarter past and quarter to each hour) to Zeleni Venac in the city centre, and costs 170 dinars (~€1.50) from the driver or 80 dinars from the shop inside the departure hall that sells food and newspapers. The bus station for #72 is on the departures level. The trip is around 45 minutes.

A more comfortable city-bus option is the A1 minibus, going from the airport to Slavija Square in the city center, stopping at Fontana (Novi Beograd) and the Main Train Station. The buses are comfortable and air-conditioned. The fare is RSD 300 (~€2.67) as of December 2012, which is paid on-board; be sure to tell the driver what your destination is before departure. Timetables can be downloaded here (serbian)[4] and here (serbian and english [5].

By train

The Central Train station is located, not surprisingly, in the city center. From the station to Republic Square is 1-2km (steep uphill) - about 15 minutes walk. All international trains stop here.

If you have any enquiries you can go to or contact the booking office at The Central Train station: Putovanja Wasteels, 11000 Beograd, Savski Trg 2. tel/fax ++381 11 265 8868. e-mail: wasteweels@eunet.rs. To Munich, Zurich and Berlin one way ticket can be bought for €44. You can book a sleeper cabin here, but leave yourself an hour to do so as there may be a queue, or you might have to go away and come back later if there is a technical problem.

Budapest: 8h, one daytime train Avala(leaves at 13:05h from Budapest Keleti) and one overnight train Beograd(leaves at 22:20h from Budapest Keleti). There is a special offer Budapest Special/Beograd Special, €15 for one-way and €26 for return ticket. You can buy this ticket at MÁV e-shop [6] (only in Hungarian see Hungary#By_train_2 for English explanation) or at Budapest station. Couchette reservation is €9.40 for 6-berth couchette, but there are reservation-free seats even on the night train.

Sofia: 10h, one overnight train. Return ticket cost about €41 and €6 for couchette reservation. If travelling from Belgrade, buy a ticket to Dimitrovgrad only (on the Serbian border) and then pay 2 Eur. to the controller on the Bulgarian side.

Thessaloniki: All international train services to/from Greece are suspended until further notice. Skopje is the furthest you can go by train.

Timisoara, Bucharest: No direct train since 2012 (due to the shortage of diesel locomotives from the Serbian side). Instead of, you'll have to make 2 easy train changes from Belgrade: First, you catch a train from Belgrade-Danube (Beograd-Dunav) station to Vršac (ticket 3 EUR) and then from Vršac a short train trip to Timisoara Nord, (train ticket 5 EUR) from where you can catch connections to Bucharest, Iasi, Galati and other places in Romania. Another option, especially if travelling from northern Serbia, is taking a train from Kikinda to Jimbolia and (thereon) Timisoara across the border. Direct trains depart from Belgrade-Dunav and Pančevo to Kikinda. Trains interval is roughly two daily departures in each direction on all the segments mentionned.

By bus

Belgrade's central bus station [7] is next-door to the central train station, in Karađorđeva street. Whilst coach service to national and international destinations is frequent, departure times are usually reliable, but arrival times may be not. Timetables aren't clearly posted; the timetables that are there are in Serbian only, so ask for information inside the terminal.

Ticket reservations and purchases are made in the terminal building.

When buying a bus ticket, you will also receive a token to enter the platform area, for national travel. For international travel, you will be given a paper stub to present at the platform gate.

Be aware that most coach drivers will charge you a fee for baggage handling in the cargo compartment, though this is not a uniform practice with international travel. As of December 2012, this fee was approximately 100dinar per bag. Also be aware that drivers rarely speak English or any other foreign language. Inform yourself about your trip prior to departure as much as you can; if in doubt, ask a fellow passenger for assistance.

Coach travel in Serbia is a hit-and-miss experience; whilst there is a huge number of companies to chose from, not all of them have clean, modern coach fleets, particularly for travel within Serbia or to neighbouring Montenegro. Coaches are more often clean and modern when embarking on trips to Croatia and Western Europe.
For international trips to the rest of Europe, Lasta [8] is the Eurolines carrier.

For long trips, drivers usually stop for 15 minutes breaks roughly every two hours, though this isn't by any means guaranteed. Pack appropriately with food and bottled water. When disembarking on breaks in the trip, make sure to either secure your belongings, or take them with you.

When you get off the bus, you'll probably be offered a taxi ride or baggage-carrying by some men. Don't accept any offers, no matter how they may insist. They are all illegal and their only intention is to rip you off.

By car

Coming north from Subotica and Novi Sad, the E-75 highway is recommended, as well as driving to Belgrade from the south. There is also a major road called Ibarska magistrala (Ibar highway, M-22), which provides approach from south-west (direction of Montenegro, for example). From the west, use the E-70 highway (from Zagreb, Ljubljana etc.). Major roads can be used coming east and north-east from Vršac and Zrenjanin.

Highways have toll stations, which are moderately priced. As of summer 2007, there is major roadwork on the E-75 highway north, so expect occasional delays. Serbia's only highways are parts of E-70 and E-75 roads and the highway passes right through Belgrade without a bypass, causing large unavoidable traffic jams on the Gazela bridge and at the Mostar junction.

A Belgrade trolleybus

By boat

Belgrade lies where the rivers Sava and the Danube meet. Passenger ships enable you to reach every place along the Danube in a very convenient and meditative manner with many fascinating attractions along it, but it is a quite slow and rather expensive way of travelling.

By bicycle

Belgrade is located on European bicycle route Eurovelo 6 which connects Atlantic Ocean and Black Sea.[9]

Get around

Belgrade has an extensive public transport network, covering almost all areas of the old city, Novi Beograd, Zemun and other out-lying areas. The network itself consists of a large fleet of more than 1,000 buses, trolleybuses and trams but sometimes even this is not enough, and public transport in Belgrade is usually crowded during rush hour.

City transport is divided into two tariff zones (map). Tickets are 72 RSD for one zone and 95 RSD for both. Starting 1st February 2012, new tickets (Bus Plus) are introduced. There are several types of tickets:

ticket bought from the driver, which costs 100 RSD

paper ticket that looks like a credit card is bought at kiosks; it costs 40 RSD and is empty when bought, so you have to put some money on it; paper tickets last for 3 months and can only be refilled with up to 600 RSD; this is probably the best option for tourists

plastic ticket that looks like a credit card; it is valid for 3 years, costs 250 RSD and is also empty when bought

there is a 4th option (personal ticket) which can only be bought at certain spots in town, and it is a monthly ticket for one person, valid for one year

All tickets (except those bought from the driver) must be validated on machines inside the vehicle. Tickets are also valid for BG:Voz commuter rail, but not for BeoVoz and minibuses. Transport authorities routinely check tickets for validation — particularly at peak hours on major lines — and an infraction can land you with an uncomfortable fine, which sets you back about €30.

Belgrade traffic during rush hour

GSP (ГСП in Serbian Cyrillic) is a public transportation company and there are maps of bus, trolleybus and tram lines on its website. Free maps of entire public transport can be found in tourist offices and here. Most (trolley)bus/tram stops now display a map of the city, with the routes of the lines marked on it.

All vehicles are equipped with GPS tracking, so it's possible to find out how far away your (trolley)bus/tram is. The distance is given in number of stops, as well as in minutes for the lines 7, 17, 23, 29 & 95. Some bus stops have a screen displaying the waiting time for each line, but this information can always be obtained by calling a certain number on a cell phone. Each bus stop has an unique number (which is clearly written on the bus stop). After dialing *011*bus stop number#, you will receive a message with the information. This service costs 1.8 RSD, when used with from Serbian phone number.

By bus

There are over 120 urban and over 300 suburban bus lines. There are also several seasonal lines, including Ada1–Ada5, the five lines which can take you to Ada Ciganlija, and one seasonal, weekend-only line (400) which goes to the summit of Mt Avala. As of February 2012, many buses are less than five years old. The area around Zeleni Venac is a major bus hub in the city center, with many lines going to and from Novi Beograd and Zemun stopping there.

Daily transport starts at 4:00 and ends at 00:00. Night transportation is operated only by buses. It is sparse and goes every half-hour to every hour, but there are plans to make all night lines depart every half-hour. It is best to ask where and when to use it since some of the night lines are modified versions of the daily ones. Here is a map of night lines.

Take note that few regular bus lines (such as 24 or 49) are operated by minibuses, but the tickets for them are the regular ones.

By tram

There are 12 tram lines in Belgrade, three of which are connected to New Belgrade. The trams are currently being replaced with brand-new Spanish low-floor articulated, air-conditioned trams. The new trams have not yet all been delivered, so there are still some old trams driving around that are beyond their serviceable lifespan. Some trams have already been equipped with an public announcement system, that informs passengers of the next stop.

Line 2 is famous in the city with a circular route, running in both directions. The circle is known as krug dvojke (#2's circle) and rings the central city streets.

Line 3 is famous for a beautiful neighborhoods it goes through, particularly Miloš's Konak Park.

By trolleybus

Trolleybus fleet in big majority consist of new Belarusian made Belkommunmash vehicles AKSM-321 and AKSM-333, and they run only in Old Belgrade, connecting the city center to east and south-east.
There are eight trolleybus lines.

By minibus

There are nine public minibus lines (E1–E9) [10]. Minibuses are all air-conditioned, smaller and generally quicker than regular city buses. However, tickets are bought only inside a minibus and they are more expensive than ordinary ones. Also, in most stops, there is no indication of minibus line routes. This means that one will have to wait for the minibus to come and read the route written on the minibus itself (or just ask the driver).

As of July 2011, minibus fare is 99 RSD (or 120) and the tickets are sold by the driver.

Take note that several regular bus lines (such as 24 or 49) are operated by minibuses, but the tickets for them are the regular ones.

By commuter rail

State-owned BeoVoz commuter rail have six lines connecting Belgrade suburbs with the city:

Stara Pazova – Belgrade Downtown – Pancevo – Vojlovica

Ripanj – Resnik – Rakovica – Pančevo – Vojlovica

Stara Pazova – Belgrade Downtown – Resnik – Ripanj

Zemun – Belgrade Downtown – Valjevo

Nova Pazova – Belgrade Downtown – Resnik – Mladenovac

Stara Pazova – Belgrade Downtown – Mala Krsna

However, it is very unreliable, and often late. Use it only if you must, and be patient. Very patient.

There is also one line under control of City of Belgrade, and that one is called BG:Voz (BG:Train). These trains run according to schedule which is every 30 minutes (15 minutes on rush hour). Timetables for both Beovoz and Bg:Voz are available here [11].

By taxi

Taxis are cheap (by European standards) and plentiful, and you can either hail one in the street, or call a taxi company.

General precautions

It is always best if you order taxi by phone since your order will be saved in the operator database. Here is the official info about taxi service in Belgrade.

Whenever you enter a cab, be sure to chose one with a roof sign indicating it's a city-regulated radio taxi (which carry a little blue sign with the city coat of arms and a number on it). Never take a privately owned cab (the ones with the white marker on the top that does not list the name of the company), since you can pay up to four times the normal price. Also, legal taxis must have their license plates ending with TX (for example: BG-1234-TX).

Insist that the trip be metered. The only exception is the case when you take taxi from the Arrivals section on the airport, where it is possible to buy vouchers with fixed prices. As of June 2010, the flag fall for starting a ride is RSD 140 (€1.5), and the rate is RSD 55 per kilometer (1st tariff) or RSD 70 per kilometer (2nd tariff, at night and weekends). Official maximum fares are here. Take note that a normal 'step' on a taximeter is about 3 dinars a time. Tipping taxi drivers is welcomed but not required. You only have to pay the amount displayed on the meter and your luggage is included in price.

Typical rip-off scenario involves a device known as "turbine". By pressing specially installed button (usually on the left of the steering wheel, or next to the clutch pedal) the driver starts the "turbine" and fools the meter to charge much faster then the usual speed. The change in the charging speed is obvious, so dishonest drivers talk and show around a lot, to make their passengers keep an eye off the taxi meter. The best way to prevent the driver from starting the turbine is to keep an eye on the meter at all times.

If you believe that the driver is trying to rip you off, call the operator of that taxi association to check if the price is regular for the specified distance. Afraid of the inspection, they might call back the driver and bring him to reason. Also, ask for a signed bill indicating date, time, start and end destination, price and drivers signature. Write down the number on the blue sign on the vehicle roof, as well as the license plates. Report the incident to city inspection (+381-11/3227-000) and if you are going from or to the airport, report it also to airport inspection (+381-11/2097-373, taxi@beg.aero). If the driver is aggresive towards you, call the police.

By car

As in most of Europe you must keep to the right side of the road. Avoid rush hours (8:30–9:30AM, 4:00–6:00PM). Plan you journey if you are going in to the city core, and expect to have hard time finding free parking place on the streets during Friday and Saturday evenings in the center. Garages might be a better choice.

Keep your low beam headlights turned on, during both day and night. Speed limit on the streets of the city is 50 km/h, near schools even less, on the highway is higher. Police is known to wait at places where you might feel comfortable to drive over the limit, but almost never on highway. Take special care while crossing Branko's bridge, and driving on following streets: Bulevar Mihaila Pupina, Jurija Gagarina, Vladimira Popovića, and other big ones. Keep your seat belts fastened. Other passengers must also do the same, even when sitting on the back seat (if there are seat belts installed).

Allowed level of blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.03%, which is roughly equal to one drink. If you do go by car to drink, consider going back using taxi or Safe driver service, +381-64/1746-411. They will come to pick you up on the small, folding motorcycle, pack it in your trunk, and drive you back home in your car. Their charge is modest, and slightly higher than one-way ride with the taxi (~5€ for <5km, ~7€ for <10km, and ~10€ for >10km).

Yellow lanes

Many boulevards and some streets have yellow lanes. They are reserved for public transport, i.e. buses and taxis, and you are not allowed to use them. The yellow lanes are marked with a yellow line, and are indicated on traffic signs. Some yellow lanes, though, are active only in certain periods of the day, usually during rush hours.

Parking

There are spaces for parking in the city center. There is a large parking garage with 500 spaces under the old palace in the city center, across from the parliament building.

Also, take into consideration that in the center almost all of the parking spaces in the central streets have zones marked with green, yellow or red paint on the street (yellow zone spaces are actually marked orange, to avoid confusion with other marks). You can only stay for 3, 2 or 1 hours, respectively, in those spots. You can pay using the machine usually found near the parking spots, buy the parking ticket at a kiosk or by cell phone (just text your car's license plate number (for example: BG123456) to numbers 9111 (red zone), 9112 (yellow) or 9113 (green)). Every message you send is valid for one hour and, some 5 minutes before the hour has passed, you get a text message telling you that you can send another SMS if you want to extend your parking for the next hour. Of course, this only applies in yellow and green zones, in which you can park for more than 1 hour. After the time is up, you'll have to re-park or risk paying a fine (around €15). All of this only applies on weekdays, from 7AM to 9PM and from 7AM to 2PM on Saturdays. After that (Sa 2PM – Mo 7AM) parking is free.

There are also several public parking garages and parking lots where you can park for an unlimited amount of time during day. Fees are charged on an hourly basis (price varies, usually around €0.7-0.9/hour). In some non-zoned areas, you also pay for parking depending on the duration of your stay, and this is paid in cash to the parking attendant.

Detailed information can be found on the Parking Service website [12].

Parking violations are dealt with rather swiftly in the city center and with less commitment in the peripheral zones. Failure to pay for parking in a marked spot is handled by parking enforcement officers and can only result in a fine which would be difficult to collect if you're operating a foreign licensed vehicle. On the other hand, illegally parked vehicles are handled by the traffic police. Once spotted, the police are required to wait for 15 minutes for the driver to return. If you do return in time, you will be issued a sanction and a fine (around €50). When the 15 minutes are up, your car will get towed to one of 4 designated lots in the city. You may locate it using an online service http://www.parking-servis.co.rs/en/vehicle_towing/where_is_my_vehicle. Once at the lot, you will be required to present a valid form of ID and the vehicle matriculation papers, pay the mandatory fine and towing expenses (around €90 in total).

By bicycle

Old Belgrade is pretty hilly and the bicycle infrastructure is scarce, so bicycle transport isn't in wide use. However, New Belgrade and Zemun are relatively flat and offer enough space for bikes to be used. Bicycle tracks link Zemun, Dorćol, Ada Ciganlija, New Belgrade and Bežanijska kosa. There is a bike lift on Brankov Bridge operating 365 days and the ride is free of charge. There is also more than 50 bicycle racks around the city.

Riding a bike on the same roads with cars and buses is considered too dangerous, although on smaller streets it can be reasonably safe. Avoid riding on major (multilane) roads. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to bring bikes into public transport vehicles.

Bicycle rentals are available mostly at recreational areas like Ada Ciganlija or Zemun quay. Average price is around 1.5€/hour and 4€/day.

By boat

Small boats connecting Ada Ciganlija to Novi Beograd's Block 70a are the only mode of public transport on rivers. Also, there are several tourist boats which offer day and night cruises along the Sava and Danube.

By night

Night public transport starts at midnight and lasts until 4am and is operated by buses. There are numerous lines [13] that will take youto any part of town [14]. The tickets are bought inside the bus and, as of July 2011, they are 120 RSD for one zone and 170 RSD for both zones. The ticket-seller will ask you where are you going to, so that you buy a proper ticket.

Sometimes it can occur that you ride on a daytime line well after midnight. Take note that night lines have suffix "N" (e.g. 15N) and only in them you have to buy the night ticket. Daytime lines are daytime lines even after midnight.

See

Belgrade city core is not too big. Everything between Kalemegdan, Knez Mihajlova street and Skadarska street is best viewed by foot. Other than that, it is recommended to use other means of transportation. Note that many of Belgrade's museums are closed on Monday. It may be wise to check before making a visit.

The massive Kalemegdan and Belgrade Fortress complex

Kalemegdan - Belgrade Fortress. Once important military fortification, it now serves as central park of Belgrade. Accessible from the end of the Knez Mihailova street, it offers beautiful views, especially during sunset. Most part of it is a park and the fortress walls, with several cafes, tennis and basketball courts, museums and observatory. Don't miss to take a look at the confluence of Sava and Danube rivers, and statue of Pobednik (Winner), one of the symbols of Belgrade.

Republic Square (Main Square). Main meeting point in the city (also called "by the horse"), right next to statue of Mihailo Obrenovic (riding a horse), National Theater, National Museum and Knez Mihailova Street. Right place to arrange a meeting.

Restaurant patios in Skadarlija

Skadarlija (Skadarska street). Pedestrian street filled with restaurants and cafes, most in the spirit of old Belgrade. Live bands playing old Belgrade music could be heard here in the evenings. The street is paved in cobblestone so ladies are advised to avoid wearing high heels, unless highly experienced. Blank-walled buildings on the south side have been painted with impressive 'trompe-l'oeil' paintings to add to the atmosphere.

Srpskih vladara street, connecting Belgrade Fortress, Knez Mihailova street and Republic Square with Slavija Square and The Temple of Saint Sava, dominating the view as you walk towards it. Notice Terazije Fountain, Hotel Moskva (Former Palace of Russia), The Old Royal Palace, following the New Palace, and theater Jugoslovensko Dramsko Pozorište, as you wander around.

The Old Palace

The Old Royal Palace (Serbian Cyrillic: Стари Двор), at Nikola Pasic Sqaure, built in 1881, it was residence of Serbian kings, now used as Town Hall.

The White Palace (Бели Двор)[15] - (Serbian Cyrillic: Бели двор; English: White Court or White Palace) is a mansion located in Belgrade, Serbia. The mansion is part of the Royal Compound, a real estate of royal residences and parklands located in Dedinje, an exclusive area of Belgrade

The New Palace (Serbian Cyrillic: Нови Двор / Latin: Novi Dvor)-The New Palace is located next to Тhe Old Royal Palace, the square Andrićev venac(Андрићев венац) no. 1st. It was built between 1911 and 1922, as the residence of King Petar I Karađorđević.Today is the official seat of the President of the Republic of Serbia.

National Assembly of Serbia

The National Assembly of Serbia (Serbian Cyrillic: Народна Скупштина Србије), located across the Old Royal Palace, at Nikola Pasic Sqaure.

Gardosh (Serbian Cyrillic: Гардош / Latin: Gardoš) is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Zemun.Gardos the hill, located on the right side of the river Danube, is a historical and authentic cultural environment, with narrow streets and houses and churches authentic. At the top, there is a tower "Sibinjanin Janko" (or Millennium Tower) - height of 36m, open in 1896, with a gallery and a beautiful view of the river, and Belgrade. On the hill and near by the river is a large number of restaurants with local food, seafood restaurants, floating(splav) restaurants, ship-restaurant.

Churches and monasteries

The Temple of Saint Sava (Serbian Cyrillic: Храм Светог Саве)[16]. Serbian Largest Orthodox Temple, built from 1935 in several phses. Interior decoration is not yet finished, however visitors have access to the north aisle which is complete and in use. From the quality of the marble- and plaster-work already in place, it will be stupendous when it is finished. It is located near Slavija square, easily accessed from Bulevar Oslobodjenja.

Belgrade Cathedral (Serbian Cyrillic: Саборна црква) or St. Michael's Cathedral, located near Belgrade Fortress(Kalemegdan) at Kneza Sime Markovica 3. Build from 1837 to 1840, with richly decorated interior. Across the church the building of Patriarchate is located.

St. Mark's Church (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква Св. Марка) built from 1931 to 1940 located in the Tašmajdan park in Belgrade, near the Parliament of Serbia. There is a small Russian Orthodox church right next to it.

Church Ružica (Црква Ружица) and Church Sveta Petka (Црква Св. Петке) are located on Kalemegdan fortress, near observatory (easy to miss, ask for directions). Ružica is first mentioned at 15th century, and destroyed in early 18th century. After that it is rebuild in the present location, and it is the oldest church in Belgrade. It is again destroyed in WWI by Central Powers, and then renewed in 1925. At that time the church got its guards in person of bronze soldiers, and the unusual chandeliers made out of bullet shells, swords and bayonets.

Church of St. Alexander Nevsky (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква Св. Александра Невског), Cara Dušana 63, Dorćol (near Skadarlija). The history dates back to the time the Serbian-Turkish war (1876), when they are in Serbia under the command General Mikhail Chernyayev (Михаил Черњајев), Russian volunteers arrived. Then they erected a tent near the church dedicated to St. Aeksandu Nevsky. The old church was built in 1877, but later followed the turbulent history. The church has significant relics, frescoes, and in the interior of the plaque, Serbian warriors, the Russian czar Nicholas the Second, King Alexander I Karadjordjevic etc.

Niklajevska crkva (Serbian Cyrillic: Николајевска Црква), built 1745. Located at the foot of the hill known Gardos (Гардош), near the Danube, in the municipality of Zemun, Belgrade.

Church of the Holy Virgin (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква Покрова Пресвете Богородице), Kajmakčalanska 55, Zvezdara, Belgrade. It was built in 1933, simple in Serbian-Byzantine style, richly adorned with frescoes, mosaics, has a rich collection of relics. It is located between Buevara King Alexander, and Žiča street, near the "Red Cross Square" (Црвени Крст).

Monastery Rakovica (Serbian Cyrillic: Манастир Раковица) - dedicated to St. Archangel Michael and Gabriel. Monastery went through a turbulent history. Rakovica Monastery is located 11 km from the city center, on a circular route, which the Rakovička river turns to the Avala. Monastery has important relics, and there are tombs of famous personalities (Vasa Čarapić, Patriarch Dimitrije), and since recently Serbian Patriarch Pavle.

Presentation of the Virgin Monastery (Serbian Cyrillic: Манастир Ваведења Пресвете Богородице), Ljube Jovanovića Street No. 8, Senjak (Dedinje). It is located near the center, the Topcidersko hill, surrounded by woods. The church was built in 1935. This beautiful church ("Monastery of the Presentation") was built in the Serbian-Byzantine style, richly painted frescoes, and a rich treasure.

Historical Museum of Serbia (Serbian Cyrillic: Историјски Музеј Србије), Square Nikole Pasica 11 (Tel. +381 11 3398 018; 3398 335). Working hours: Every day except Mondays. The museum is located next to the National Assembly of Serbia. Museum has a rich collection of materials related to the Serbian nation and Serbia from ancient times to the present.

Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church (Serbian Cyrillic: Музеј Српске Православне Цркве) Located across from the Belgrade Cathedral(Саборна црква), The Residence of Princess Ljubica, near Knez Mihailova Street / entrance from the street Kralja Petra I br. 5th.(Opening hours: weekdays from 8-16C, 09-12C on Saturdays, Sundays 11-13C). Across the street is, the Orthodox Academy of Art and Conservation (frescoes, mosaics, and icon painting)

Gallery of Frescoes (Serbian Cyrillic: Галерија Фресака), Cara Uroša 20 (center). Closed on Mondays. Booking group visits, tel. +381 11 306 052. The gallery was founded in 1953, as a special institution for the collection, study and exhibit of the Serbian medieval art. It is now part of the National Museum and contains a rich collection of murals and medieval sculptures.

Nikola Tesla Museum, Krunska 51, ☎+381 (0) 11 24 33 886 (info@tesla-museum.org, fax: +381 (0) 11 24 36 408), [18]. Tu–F: 10AM–6PM, Sa–Su: 10AM–1PM. Museum dedicated to the man whom Serbs revere. Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла) made significant contributions to the development of electric engineering, pioneering alternating current (making long-distance high-energy transfers possible), radio (making base work for today's mobile communications) and AC motors (widely used today, e.g. blenders, vacuum cleaners and elevators), among other numerous inventions. Half of this small museum is dedicated to Tesla's personal effects, while the other half contains models of his inventions. There are English-speaking guides who are students from the Engineering Department of the University of Belgrade who can help you understand the sometimes-complicated science.Entrance fee is RSD 500.

The Residence of Princess Ljubica (Serbian Cyrillic: Конак кнегиње Љубице / Latin: Konak kneginje Ljubice), Knez Sima Markovic No. 8 in Belgrade (center). The residence is now managed by the Museum of Belgrade and is used to display the museum material and painting exhibitions. The permanent exhibition at the Residence consists of original furniture, made in Oriental-Balkan style and other styles of the time (Classicism, Biedermeier, neo-baroque).

Tito's Mausoleum and the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia (Serbian Cyrillic: Музеј Историје Југославије) Take trolleybus # 40 or 41 from Studentski Trg or from Kneza Miloša Street in the direction of Dedinje and ask for "Kuća cveća" (House of flowers). Entry is 200 dinars and includes admission to the "House of Flowers," with the grave of Josep Broz Tito; the Museum of the History of Yugoslavia, with changing exhibits, and the "Old Museum," with artifacts from the former Yugoslavia and around the world given to Tito in his years as president. hours="Tu-Su: 10AM-4PM"

The Military Museum (Serbian Cyrillic: Војни Музеј), inside the Belgrade Fortress.Museum has around 30.000 objects in 12 collections and very impressive photo collection with over 100.000 photographs, etc. Entrance Fee is RSD 130

Museum of Roma culture, Ruzveltova street 41-43, [19]. Tu-Su: 11AM-4PM. The museum is situated in a small storage room in a public building in downtown Belgrade. Its walls are covered with photographs and documents in the Roma language. There are temporal exhibitions, different programs and events.

Aeronautical Museum (Serbian Cyrillic: Музеј Ваздухопловства). The facility is located adjacent to Nikola Tesla Airport, Belgrade. The main collection is housed in an architecturally noteworthy geodesic-based glass building, with additional aircraft displayed on the surrounding grounds. The museum owns over 200 aircraft that have been operated by the Serbian and Yugoslav Air Forces, Aeronautical clubs and Avio-companies, from gliders to helicopters to jet fighters. There are a number of rare aircraft and other aviation equipment. The museum also displays relics of US and NATO aircraft "donated" during the 1990s Balkans conflicts, including wreckage from a US F-117 Nighthawk...Entrance fee is RSD 500.

Do

Ada Ciganlija, a river island on Sava River with an artificial lake in the center of the city[20]. The lake has an 8 km long gravel beach, which is visited by thousands of bathers during the summer. This is a great place for sports and picnics (barbecue is allowed in the allotted space) . It also contains a lot of cafes and restaurants,river rafts (bars-restaurants), some of which are opened whole year round. In summer, it is swamped with people wanting to cool down in the water. Beaches in Ada Ciganlija, with restaurants, cafes on the beach, as well as umbrellas,beds and water sports, reminiscent of many sea beaches, and are the right place for swimming, recreation and enjoyment. You may rent bikes or inline skates at several points near the entry to the island. Lanes for pedestrians and bikers are separated. You have over-the-water bungee jumping facility, as well as water skiing. There are terrains for football, basketball, beach volley, golf and tennis. If you are coming from the direction of New Belgrade or Zemun, consider using small boats from Block 70a edge, New Belgrade, which can take you over the river for around €1. During summer season they go every 15 minutes or less, and offer bike transportation as well. There are also many regular bus services from the city center and other districts to Ada Ciganlija. Additional facilities:

Adventure Park is open during summer season (usually from beginning of May until the end of September) +381-64/8210-218, +381-63/1679-787. Site (only in Serbian) [21]. Price for one go through the park is RSD 800 (~€8).

It is also possible to drive a Segway on small flat track, near cafe Plaža, +381-69/734-929.

Public Observatory (placed at Kalemegdan fortress). There are four panoramic telescopes installed for daily observations of the city's panorama. This is the unique place in Belgrade for panoramic observations. [22]

National Theatre. Watch opera, ballet and plays, the main hall is simply amazing. Decorated with gold and artworks.

Zemun quay, if you have spare time to spend riding a bike, inline skates or walking next to Danube river. For a break just hop on one of the raft bars or restaurants (most of them near the former hotel Jugslavija, and a little further next Gardos).

Strahinjića Bana street (Serbian Cyrillic:Страхињића Бана улица)-кnown as the Silicon Valley(Силиконска Долина) is located in downtown Belgrade, at the end of Skadarska Street (popularly Skadarlija) laterally, and extends to the Kalemegdan fortress and the zoo. Along the streets of a large number of popular bars, restaurants, cafes, gardens (with a slightly higher prices)

Open-air ice skating at square Trg Nikole Pašića available from 20 December 2010 to 20 January 2010, free of charge

The great War Island (Veliko ratno ostrvo), a river island at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, for picnics and bird spotting.

Avala, small mountain (511 m) near Belgrade with 204m Avala Tower at the top. Viewing platform is accessible via a lift with great views of Belgrade and parts of Vojvodina and Šumadija. Entrance fee is around 0.5€ per person.At the top of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, and the motel and a few restaurants. During the descent, turn right, there is a mountain lodge "Čarapića Brest"(Чарапића Брест)-resting, with rooms and good restaurant.[26]

Visit a splav (literally: raft) – a barge restaurant located along the Sava and Danube rivers. There are two kinds of "splav". Some are restaurants ( There you can dine and eat with the extra feature of being on the river and enjoying the view) and most are nightclubs. Each "splav" is a nightclub to itself. You can literally club hop all night long. There is no cover charge to get into any of them. Some ultra popular ones may require that you have an invitation or be on the guest list, but if you tell them that you are a foreigner and that you didn't know they'll usually let you in. Women are not required to be on a "guest list". The music played on the barges is highly varied. Everything from Serbian folk music, pop, dance to latest Euro is played. Another really cool thing about the "splav" is that many of them feature live bands. It is really unlike anything you've ever seen before.

If you have time visit the Belgrade Arena, New Belgrade. It is the second largest arena in Europe and the largest in the Balkans. You will definitely be impressed by the architecture. The 2005 European Basketball Championships were held there.In the Belgrade Arena has often sporting events and music events, with famous sports teams, world music artists and groups (check, maybe there is something interesting for you).

Football

While Begrade isn't home to any of the traditional European football giants, the local derby between Partizan Belgrade[39] and Red Star Belgrade[40] (won both European and International Cup in 1991), also known as the Eternal Derby (Вечити дерби), is considered to be one of the most intensive sport events. Even if you do not support either club, but you enjoy cheering, watching one of the matches between the two sides is still recommended to experience the atmosphere. Due to the intensity of the rivalry, it is not recommended to wear either team's colors outside the stadium during matchdays between the two sides.

Things you must do before you leave

Spend an afternoon at the Kalemegdan Park and enjoy the sunset at one of the fortress lookouts.

Eat burek and yogurt for breakfast.

Spend an evening on the terrace in one of the restaurants in Zemun next to Danube.

Spend part of the day, enjoying some of the rafts / boats restaurants-cafes on the Sava River (around Ada Ciganlija, Sava coast of New Belgrade). On the River Danube on the coast of New Belgrade(Novi Beograd), along the Zemun - Gardos, or go to the mouth of the river Sava and the Danube below Belgrade Fortress, or across the coast.

Listen to the old Belgrade music in one of the restaurants in Skadarska street.

Ride the tram number 2 a full circle.

Attend a concert in the Belgrade Arena, if someone you like is visiting. The crowds here are really amazing, so the atmosphere is great.

Spend an hour sipping coffee or some incarnation thereof at one of Belgrade's cafés.

Bargain at one of the green markets in the morning.

Wander the Kosancicev Venac neighborhood preferably on a summer Sunday for a taste of authentic Belgrade.

Have a rakija at one of the old style buffets.

Have a meal at on of the old state owned cafés like Beogradsko Prolece or Kafana "?".

Befriend a Belgrader.

Learn

Serbian courses for foreigners are organized in several places including:

Buy

The currency in Serbia is the dinar (RSD). Money can be exchanged at official exchange offices (locally called menjačnica, often carrying the emblem of the National Bank of Serbia outside the building), which are clearly labeled and they are numerous in central Belgrade, or at the airport. Micko (on Vuka Karadzica street) changes all currencies, including rare ones. There are many ATMs, which accept foreign bank and credit cards without a glitch (note: they are new machines so you won’t have any problems with them). Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard and Maestro are widely accepted though there are some shops, restaurants and hotels where cards are not accepted (these are very few nowadays). American Express and Diners Club cards are, on the other hand, rarely accepted. Likewise, traveler's cheques are not a well known form of payment in Serbia and cashing them in could present a challenge. The dinar is not widely convertible outside Serbia; it is advisable to re-convert your remaining dinars to Euros or other major currencies before leaving the country. Old Yugoslavian currency can be purchased from street sellers. A 500 billion dinar note makes an interesting souvenir. At Kalemegdan you can pick up a set of 10 banknotes from the hyperinflation era plus 2 gratis postcards of Belgrade for 500 dinars or 5 euro.

The stores work into late hours during work days while on Saturdays they normally close around 15.00 and most of them are not open on Sundays. Therefore, finding an activity for the weekend must be thought of beforehand. Exception to this rule are shopping malls, usually working every day including Sunday until evening hours (usually 10:00 PM).

At night, there are bars, cafés and discotheques that are open, selling cheaply priced drinks. Belgrade is reputed to have some of the best night life in Europe.

Clothes and Accessories

Import taxes make clothes and shoes in Serbia very expensive. Many items from common European chains can be found for 20% less in neighboring Budapest. Still, Belgrade has many flagship stores, mostly located on Knez Mihailova Street and the Terazije square, or the pedestrian zone, representing assorted high-fashion brands.

Almost all of the worldwide high street brands are present in the city, such as Guess, New Yorker, Zara, Bershka, Hugo Boss, Springfield, Stradivarius, Mango, Diesel, Liu Jo, C&A, Pull & Bear and numerous others.
Local department store chains include Artisti and Land.
More expensive clothes & accessories (such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Lanvin, Marni, D&G, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, YSL, Mulberry and many others) can be usually found at the Kralja Petra street (Dorćol) in Distante Fashion center, as well as in XYZ stores that are located in Ušće Shopping Center and Delta City.
Local Belgrade designers are present in the Choomich (that is officially called Belgrade Design District) shopping center, with more than 20 stores providing newest designer fashion.

Belgrade has 2 shopping malls in the city - Delta City and Ušće Shopping Center, as well as more than 30 shopping centers like Merkator, Immo Centar, Millenium, Piramida, City Hall, Zira and others.

Cheaper clothes (among various stuff) can be found all over the city, especially in Buvljak (flea market) and Blok 70 shopping center, colloquially known as Kinezi (meaning the Chinese) because of the ethnic structure of the neighborhood. Both places are located in Novi Beograd zone.

Multi-brand store concept is catching on very quickly, so it's not going to be a problem finding all types of clothes. Best concept stores are Buzz (Knez Mihailova street), chain of street-wear stores called Urban and Avanguardia.

Books

Biggest bookstores in Belgrade selling beside Serbian also foreign (mostly English) books are located in the city center. Those are:

Vulkan is at the beginning and Plato is at the end of Knez Mihailova street.

International Newspapers and Magazines

Kiosks and and bookstores in the city sell foreign newspapers and magazines. These include Delfi, Plato Press (near Studentski trg) and Inmedio (three locations - Delta City, Usce Center, Zira Center). Newspapers and magazines can be found in various international languages like English, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, German and others.

Shopping Malls

USCE Shopping Center is the largest modern shopping center in Serbia and the region, located in New Belgrade, just across Branko's Bridge. Can even be reached on foot from the old city. [46]

Delta City is the second largest shopping mall in the city, also located in New Belgrade, in Jurija Gagarina street [47]. Take tram number 7, 9 or 13.

The Fair, Sajam is where you have a large choice of clothes to buy pretty cheaply.

Block 70 is where the Chinese market is located. You can buy dirt-cheap clothing imported from China. Quality is lower. Closed on Tuesdays!

OTC Novi Beograd. Slang name for this shopping experience is "Buvljak" or flea market as 30 years ago it was that. At present day, hundreds of independent shop owners have a "store" (all brand new goods) under the open sky. You can buy anything and everything there, from any type of clothes like Italian jeans (some are real, some are real good copies from Novi Pazar) to gadgets, to toiletries, to cell phone accessories to the most obscure screw or nail — literally. Pricing is way less than the malls and they actually have sizes for all shapes and sizes! You could spend a full day at the OTC and not see everything.

Eat

Looking towards New Belgrade

Serbs are very proud of their food, which is heavy on grilled meats and sausages, local cheeses and bread. Salads are primarily tomato, cucumber, and onion, or cabbage. Local produce is fresh and organic.

Belgrade has hundreds of restaurants specializing in local cuisine and a few international restaurants. On the whole, prices are cheap compared to Western Europe with main dishes ranging from €5–20 per person.

Most Serbian restaurants offer roštilj, a large plate of various unseasoned grilled meats, or any possible variety of grilled chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cheese. It is possible to order fresh salads, plates of grilled vegetables, crepes, or omelettes if you are not carnivorous. Serbian cuisine is famous for its heavy use of varied vegetables, fresh or cooked.

Snacking and eating on the go in Belgrade are easy and cheap. Bakeries – called pekara – are ubiquitous in the city center, and you will find a wide assortment of breads, sweet and savoury pastries, sandwiches and pizza on offer. Some are open 24 hours. A snack or light meal of pastry and drinkable yoghurt (similar to kefir) will give you an added healthy boost when walking about the city center. For good taste of Sarajevo pie try Fofa (Cyrillic: Фофа) at Kralja Petra 75. Nice gesture is that Fofa does not charge to pregnant women.

Foods that vegetarians and meat eaters alike should try include kajmak (something between cream cheese and butter) and ajvar, a savory spread made out of roasted red peppers. It is also worth visiting a pijaca (green market) to buy some fresh fruit, vegetables and other grocery items. The farmer's market at Zeleni Venac, close to the Hotel Moscow, is not one of the largest, but it is the one with the least expensive merchandise – in the city. Contained in a newly-built complex, it makes for an enjoyable Saturday morning experience, with the lively hustle and bustle of people milling about and stall-owners trying to attract customers. Depending on the season, an amazing assortment of fruit and veg can be found in farmer's markets, including watermelons, olives, wild mushrooms and fresh figs. Take the time to explore the stalls, and compare the quality and prices of the produce. Most produce at the farmer's markets in Belgrade are organic and fresh from the farmer's gardens brought over daily from the villages surrounding the city. You will notice the particularly good taste of this produce.

There is also pljeskavica, the Serbian version of a hamburger which can be purchased from fast food restaurants.
You can find your typical McDonald's, Pizza Hut and KFC, but most of the fast food restaurants in Belgrade are local and sell baked goods, pizza, sandwiches, and pancakes (crepes). Some may go beyond that, selling Turkish delicacies such as baklava, tulumba and other Greek/Turkish treats. Coffee culture in Belgrade is particularly developed, walking about the central areas of the city you will find sprawling terraces and cafés, serving all types of coffee and sweets, particularly Viennese type cakes and local specialties. Be sure to try Serbian Turkish style coffee, and chestnut purée with whipped cream, a local specialty especially at Republic Square (available mostly during winter).

However, the most famous dish in Serbia is ćevapčići. Also called Ćevapi, they are a traditional Serbian food that is also eaten throughout the former Yugoslavia. It consists of different types of minced meat mixed together, shaped like small sausages, and then put on the grill. It is usually eaten with diced onion, and is very tasty.

Do not forget to taste the Karađorđeva Šnicla. It is meat that is filled with kajmak and bacon, and then also grilled. It is another traditional Serbian dish that honors the leader of the first Serbian uprising.

PizzaPizza, Браће Крсмановић 3 next to the Brankov bridge, +381-11/2622-812, [56], for good pizzas (€3-5).

Serbian Cuisine

Note: Restaurant/ tavern (Serbian Cyrillic: Кафана / lat: Kafana)

For those interested in what would be a typical Serbian meal, check out these places :

Borik, Close to airport, on the way to the museum, on the left when you pass the Tesla Monument.Good meals and large garden under trees.Suitable to spend your time if you have a connection flight.Cheaper than airport prices.

Leskovcanin (Serbian Cyrillic: Лeckoвчaнин), Balkanska 5. Fast food, grill in the traditional way, tasty and varied. It is located next to "Hotel Moskva", (near Terazije).

Little Bay, Dositejeva 9a, +381-11-32-88-995. A British concept, Little Bay has set up a restaurant in Belgrade in the fancy Dorćol district, not far from Skadarlija, close to the Dutch Embassy. The venue shows Opera-style furniture, and over the weekends opera singers perform while people eat. Dishes are Serbian style, slightly more elaborate than usual but still relatively inexpensive. A must for Opera-fans and romantic dinners. Book in advance (or try your luck) and order the duck en croute dish. Prices: 650 RSD/1300 RSD. Full meal for around 1500-2000 RSD

Manjež (Serbian Cyrillic: Мањеж) restaurant (kafana), Svetozara Markovića 49. Famous restaurant with distinctive service. Large selection of traditional Serbian food, great spirits (rakija), premium wines and cakes. It is located near the Yugoslav Drama Theatre and the park, the main street between the Srpskih Vladara (Kralja Milana) and Nemanjina, near Slavija Square. [58]

Orač (Serbian Cyrillic: Орач) кафана (kafana), Mekenzijeva 81. It is located in the part Čubura - Vračar, near the Slavija square and the Temple of Saint Sava.Kafana, Orač (means "plowman") is a tavern with a long tradition, local specialties, and good barbecue. A few years ago (from a nearby old location) moved to this new location.

Orašac (Serbian Cyrillic: Орашац), Kralja Aleksandra 122, is garden restaurant with traditional Serbian cuisine. Grill and food prepared by recipes from the old Serbian cuisine. Located near subway stations and monuments "Vuk Karadzic" (called: Kod Vuka), in addition to more colleges, in the main street.

Salaš (Serbian Cyrillic: Салаш) restaurant, Sindjeliceva 34, Gardoš (near Danube) - municipality of Zemun. Enjoy the authentic atmosphere of the "Salaš (Ranch) specialties" of meat or fish, good wine and views of the river and the whole city. [59]

Sinđelić (Serbian Cyrillic: Синђелић) National Restaurant, Vojislava Ilica 86. National restaurant with traditional Serbian cuisine. It is located near the stadium Sinđelić. From the city center, you can quickly get to the restaurant by city bus no. 31 and trolley bus no. 19 and 29 (from Slavia Square).

Skadarlija is a pleasant street filled with Serbian and Italian restaurants, not to be missed by gourmands. It is famous for its old restaurants, some of which have been around for over 100 years. Most of the restaurants have string orchestras which play a selection of traditional and modern Serbian songs, like in Lagum 33, Simina 33. The cheapest and most original kafana on Skadarlija is probably Skadarlijska Noć (Skadarska 40).

Srpska brvnara (Serbian Cyrillic: Српска брвнара) restoran (kafana), Savski kej bb, 44 blok, Novi Beograd. National House "Srpska brvnara" is a floating restaurant (on a raft), located on the banks of the River Sava. Ethno-friendly environment, national cuisine, music tambourine. [60]

Srpska kafana (Serbian Cyrillic: Српска кафана), Svetogorska 25., traditional Serbian cuisine. Cult town tavern, the place in which are built in a decade bohemian life. The restaurant is located next to the theater "Atelje 212". Local specialties (home cooked meals, grill, Gibanica - something like pie...) [61]

Stepin vajat (Serbian Cyrillic: Степин Вајат), Vojvode Stepe 2l. Fast food, grill in the traditional way, tasty and varied. It is located next to "Autokomanda" square, and Red Star (Црвена Зевезда) football stadium, (near Slavija Square). The shop is in the Serbian-style, wooden house.

? (that's what it is called) kafana, Kralja Petra 6, traditional Serbian cuisine. Good place to try ćevapčići sa kajmakom (grilled minced meat with cream), or if you have a strong stomach and will to experiment, you might choose (in translation): young bull's sex glands, bowels or glands.

Some restaurants are famous not only by the quality, but also the quantity of the meals:

Srbija, located 15km from Belgrade downtown, on Ibar highway (M-22), just after Tilia forrest (Lipovačka šuma), +381-11/8340-055, [63]. If you happen to pass that way, or you are willing to spend half-hour drive from center to find it, it is recommended to visit. Decent restaurant build between village houses, with kind personell and both tasteful and oversized dishes.

Tel Aviv Hummus House Carica Milice 3[66], across from the McDonald's at Zeleni Venac. Delicious and cheap Middle Eastern food. Falafel sandwich is healthy and quick and costs less than 3 euro.

Drink

Despite the warnings of the US.CDC[67], tap water in Belgrade is perfectly safe. There is a wide range of bottled waters on offer in grocery stores, supermarkets, and kiosks.

Serbs love beer, and it is possible to buy a variety of domestic beers such as Jelen, Lav, MB, Pils... along with a few imported beers, at very cheap prices. The domestic beers are quite decent. Made in Serbia beers also include Heineken, Amstel, Tuborg, Stella Artois, and Beck's. Belgrade holds a Beer Festival annually in August.

Culture Tip: How to toast, Serbian style
Like everywhere, Serbs love to toast when in good company, whether it's in a pub or in the home with friends. When toasting in Serbia, it is expected that you look your friends at the table directly in the eyes whilst clinking glasses as a sign of respect. Say 'Živeli!' (cheers!) to everyone and take a sip. Repeat as necessary, and enjoy a night out in Belgrade!

Local wines can be good, although more expensive tends to mean more drinkable, and many of the less expensive bottles are less than satisfactory. The national alcoholic drink is rakija, a Serbian brandy that is very strong and makes a good souvenir.

For the sober crowd, Belgrade has blueberry, raspberry, tomato, peach, apple, strawberry, and any other kind of juice you can think of.

All cafés serve the usual continental coffees, such as espresso and cappuccino. However, regular coffee comes in the form of Turkish coffee, not filtered coffee. If you want a filtered coffee, you need to specify this when ordering, and not all coffee shops have it. Also very popular is whipped instant coffee, commonly referred to simply as 'Nes' (as in, Nescafé). A cafe called Mali Prag (across from the Hotel Prag) is thought by some to offer the best "Serb Coffee" in the world.

There are a couple of places worth visiting if you are a fan of cafe culture. The street best known for its trendy cafes is definitely Strahinjića Bana. On this street, cafes are full even on weekdays. The best atmosphere is on Friday evenings when the trendy youth of Belgrade descend to enjoy the music and each other. Out of numerous cafes, the best ones are:

Insomnia,

KontraBar, (no alternative place, there are only yuppies and it is quite expensive for Beograd)

Buongiornio (also a pastry shop),

Nachos,

Veprov Dah (a scottish pub),

Duomo (Italian and Mediterranean restaurant and cafe),

Ipanema and

Cosy, a new French Café with excellent ambiance in Makedonska 30 etc.

The second cafe zone is Obilićev Venac (a street parallel to Knez Mihailova). The best cafes there are:

Iron,

Jelena,

Zu Zu's,

Irish pub,

Simbol and many others.

Third cafe zone (also a going out zone) is quay next to hotel Yugoslavia in Zemun. On the quay are numerous river boats (splavovi), many of them are cafes, restaurants and clubs.

Other places worth visiting:

The Three Carrots Irish pub bills itself as the first Irish pub in Belgrade, quite easy to miss, just turn left at the bombed out buildings coming up from the train station and walk on the left hand side of the road.

The Black Turtle II Pub, Kosančićev venac 30 (near Kalemegdan), +381-11/3286-656 [68]. Well-known for beer mixed with lemon and blueberry syrup, as well as memorable river view at summer sunset, if you are among the lucky ones who manage to get one of the few outdoor tables. If you care about the beer or the atmosphere more than the view, check other Black Turtle Pubs.

Tijuana - Latin Cocktail Bar in Belgrade, [69], call Victor: +381637108833 // or // Dennis: +38162251494, If you are searching for a nice looking cafe to impress your latest hot date, look away now, but if you want an original experience as far as Belgrade’s nightlife goes, then you should check out Tijuana.

Adventure sightseeing and tours in Belgrade

"Belgrade adventure" opened by Tourist Organization of Belgrade and Wild Serbia. New active holiday options in the very center of Belgrade.
On the Sava and Danube River regular kayak tours "Six Bridges of Save River" and "Kayaking around the War Island - jungle in the heart of Belgrade". The first program is a 3 hour kayak tour during which all participants will sail under the bridges of Belgrade (Ada bridge, Stari zeleznicki bridge, Novi zeleznicki bridge, Gazela, Stari savski bridge and Brankov bridge). There is also a possibility of sightseeing the Belgrade fortress and Old Town. “Kayaking around the War island - a jungle in the heart of Belgrade" is 4 hour kayaking adventure through the protected natural area in the city and sightseeing from the river perspective, which includes a short break in Lido Beach, visit of the Veliki Galijas canal as well as kayaking and stay on the Sava and Danube rivers.

Pubcrawls and sightseeing

Go2Serbia. [71] phone="+381 62 800 1568, www.go2serbia.net" Tourism brand Go2 Serbia is one of refreshing novelty in the tourist offer of Belgrade and Serbia. It aims to present tourism potential of Serbia through special sightseeing tours, excursions and tours in a specific way: by plane, cruise boat, speedboat, train, bus, walk and through the underground. Every week we have over 30 guaranteed departures with minum of 2 persons, which means that domestic and foreign tourists every day have an adequate program during which they can explore the beauties of the capital and the entire country with professional service.

Tourism brand Go2 Serbia is part of Travel Agency Eurojet with 20 years of tradition..

THE Belgrade Pub Crawl. [72] phone="+381 61151 6959" Meeting in front of McDonald's Terazije (across the street of Hotel Moscow) in the city center from 9:00 to 9:15 P.M. Wednesdays to Sundays. They take you to a variety of hidden-underground bars and pubs in town and ends at a night club. It is a good way to sample what the nightlife in Belgrade is like avoiding the tourist traps. Reservations needed 2 hours in advance.

Belgrade Genie - android audio guide. [73] Belgrade Genie (www.belgradegenie.com) - mobile audio tourist guide for Belgrade,Serbia. Application rewarded by Serbian ministry of culture and information for 2012. Belgrade Genie is the best interactive guide for the city of Belgrade and only audio guide ever made. It is designed to work offline without using any connection, except GPS. Shake your phone, wake up a genie and start listening stories about monuments and landmarks around you. It's time to change the way you explore Belgrade. You will get best city experience walking around and listening to stories about Belgrade's past, present life and future. Also learn about important places, culture and people who inhabited Belgrade for centuries. FInd best places to eat, drink, party or sleep during your stay.

Sleep

Budget

Several hotels have opened up in Belgrade recently, mainly in the center of the city. Some are only open in the summer, but a couple function all year round. There are also several hotels right around the train station that are relatively cheap (€30-40) however the quality varies. Just walk around and you should find one with empty rooms without much difficulty.

Backpackers' Lounge Hostel, Cika Ljubina 103, ☎+381 11 2627 483 (backpackerslounge@gmail.com), [76]. Clean, comfortable, safe, friendly. Three dorms, two common rooms, kitchen, three bathrooms. Great atmosphere, free internet , free tea/coffee all day. Staff fluent in English and very willing to help. Lockers under the bed for gear that can fit an entire frame backpack. Located on third story of a building. Elevator is eighty years old and has warnings like 'use this and die' printed on it but still works.From €10.

Crossroad Hostel, Gospodar Jevremova 41, ☎+381 63 252-529 (office@crossroad-hostel.com), [79]. In a quiet part but on the crossroads of the four most important tourist city areas. No dorms.Prices starting at €25 for single.

Go2 Hostel Belgrade, Prizrenska 1, ☎+381 11 3612341 (office@go2hostelbelgrade.com), [80]. Go2 Hostel is located in the core center of Belgrade, on Terazije Square, 2 minutes on foot from the Republic Square and just a couple of blocks (~350m) away from Belgrade’s Main Train and Bus Station. Hostel is on the 2nd floor in a building which has a historic value, across the Balkan Hotel. The place has a reputation for unsavoury staff who overcharge at will despite clearly advertised rates. Facilities are in awful condition and it's very cramped, but what do you expect for this price?dorms from €8.

Good Morning Hostel Belgrade, Takovska 36-38, ☎+381 11 3295031 (info@goodmorninghostels.com), [81]. Owned by experienced people from travel industry, located across Botanical garden, near Serbian Parliament and close to the bus and train station. Big dorms, large private rooms, common room with computers and free wifi.dorms from €6.

Green Studio Hostel, Karadjordjeva 69/42 (From the bus station, you just cross the street with the trams and take a right and look for number 69, it is about a 20 second walk. From the train station take a left out of the door; keep walking across the next intersection into the park. From the park you should cross the street with the trams and look for number 69. About a minute walk.), ☎+381 11 263 36 26 (greenstudiohostel@gmail.com), [82]. Owned and run by fellow backpackers and locals, free laundry, computer access, high speed WiFi, to beer and rakija, coffee and tea. On the banks of the river, has dorms, large private rooms, and a large open common room always alive. All facilities work and are accessible 24 hours, as well as no check out times - sleep late.Prices start at €10.

Hedonist Hostel, Simina 7, ☎+381 11 3284 798, +381 64 26 20 999 (office@hedonisthostelbelgrade.com), [84]. On a quiet street of the city center, with a nice garden. Large common area with a common room (cozy traditional Serbian interior) directly connected with the kitchen and the garden. Bedrooms are newly furnished, cozy and always clean and fresh. Room price includes free Wi-Fi, computer access, security lockers for each bed, fresh linen & towels, maps and info, coffee & tea and cable TV & movies.Starts at €9, including taxes.

Hostel Beli Grad, Nemanjina 42 (on the Slavija Square, in Nemanjina Street, just beside McDonald's restaurant.), ☎+381 11 3612126 or +381 64 5471320 (hostelbg@gmail.com), [85]. Airport bus terminal is just across the street. The hostel has one 8-bed room, one 6-bed room and one private room with a French bed. All rooms are air-conditioned and dispose of personal belongings cabinets and reading lights. A spacious bathroom and a separate toilet, common kitchen. WiFi, bedsheets, towels, residence tax included.From 1200 dinars per bed.

Hostel Jelica Milanovic, Krunska 8, [88]. A high school campus in the middle of town which functions as a hostel in summer, between June, 20th and August, 30th. Depending of category of rooms, prices are €11 or €13. It's also a biggest and one of the cheapest hostel in Belgrade with big variety of special services and comfortable rooms.

Hotel Central Station, Karadjordjeva 87 (opposite to the Central Railway and Central Bus Station), ☎+381 11 268 50 67 (office@hostelcentralstation.com), [90]. Central Station is in a building regarded as a cultural monument and a city landmark. The building has accommodated guests since the beginning of the 20th century. In a completely redecorated and refurbished 150m2 space the hostel offers accommodations in twin-bed, four-bed, 6, 8, 10 bed-rooms. Guests have free internet access, a living room, a safe and secure storage room and gentlemen's and ladies bathrooms at their disposal. All rooms are air conditioned. Prices start at €12.

Star Hostel Belgrade, Cara Urosa 37, ☎+381 62 224646 (hostel_star@yahoo.com), [92]. Air-conditioned, safe-lockers backpack size, free WIFI, coffee and tea, laundry, maps, big common room with movie collection, x-box, book exchange, very friendly staff, very knowledgeable about Belgrade and are there all the time for all your travel needs.One of the verz 1st hostels in Belgrade to open in 2005. Prices in between €8 and €12, Single €21..

Mid-range

Hotel Excelsior, Kneza Miloša 5. [100] In the center, near the National Assembly of Serbia.

Mr. President Design Hotel, Karadjordjeva 75, ☎+381 11 3602222 (r@hotelmrpresident.com, fax: +381 11 6686251), [101]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. This is the first Design Hotel opened in Belgrade in 2007, with new and modern style. Across the street from the city's main train & Bus station. 61 modern rooms with free wireless internet, free international phone calls to landlines, free secured parking and modern conviences.Price range from €74 up to €224 for double.

Best Western Hotel Sumadija, [102]. Free WiFi for the guests in whole hotel.

Splurge

Holiday Inn****, Spanskih Boraca 74, in the dynamic New Belgrade business district, 10 minutes' drive from the centre of the Serbian capital. (fax: 381-011-3100123)

Hotel Evropa, Terazije 2, ☎+381 11 36 26 017 (office@hotelevropa.rs), [110]. In a historic building close to the National Assembly building. Air-condition, free Wi-Fi, free access to the spa centre: a sauna, a Turkish bath and a jacuzzi.

Crystal Hotel Belgrade, Internacionalnih brigada 9, ☎+381 11 7151000 (info@crystalhotel.rs), [112]. New boutique hotel with a beautiful view of St. Sava Temple, the largest Orthodox church in the world. It has 44 rooms with high speed Internet and pay TV.

Moskva, Balkanska 1, ☎+381 11 2686-255, [114]. A landmark building which was remodeled in 2009 and features small rooms with wi-fi and satellite TV. The staff apparently has been overhauled as well after previous poor reviews on that front. Counts a number of celebrities amongst its guests from its eastern bloc days.

Continental Hotel Beograd, Vladimira Popovica 10, ☎+381 11 220 4204. Prefix Inter has now been dropped. Located in New Belgrade, and connected thru a passageway with the Sava congress center.

Admiral Club Beograd, Venizelosova 31, ☎+381 11 303 8260. In the oldest part of Belgrade - Dorćol, near The National Theatre. In addition to the 17 elegantly appointed rooms and suites, the Hotel has unique “Glass Garden”, parlor and pastry - coffee shop.

In Hotel Belgrade, Bulevar Arsenija Carnojevica 56, ☎+381 11 310 5300, [117]. In New Belgrade and some 9 kilometers from the airport and 200 m from the Belgrade Arena.

Apartments

Apartment Kalemegdan-Old City (Flat in the most central district of Belgrade, in a green area surrounded by numerous parks with recreational facilities, the zoo and the river's confluence), Kralja Petra 69 (The Kralja Petra street is located right between the Kalemegdan park-fortress and the Student's square (the main transportation hub in central Belgrade)), ☎+381 64 198 4635, SMS:+381 64 198 4635 (058@beotel.net), [118]. checkin: Flexible; checkout: 19:00. A cozy, comfortable, functional and spacious apartment located in the city-core, 1 min. walk from Knez Mihajlova street. All amenities included in the flat, free broadband Wi-Fi. Tourist maps of Belgrade provided free of charge. No deposit required. Guided tours available, the owner is a polyglot professional guide. Discounts for longer stays.€25 up to two persons.

Stay safe

Belgrade in summer

Overall, Belgrade is a somewhat safe city, but like anywhere, you should always keep money, mobile phones, travel documents and other valuable personal items in secure places. Pickpockets are known to operate in public transportation, and other crowded places so never wear a backpack or purse on your back and make sure that you have your wallet in one of your front pockets. If you own a car, it is preferable to have a security system. Traffic laws are usually observed although nervous drivers can change lanes suddenly or make dangerous turns when avoiding traffic during rush hour. The taxi drivers are notorious for swerving in and out of lanes. Pay close attention to the traffic signals as a pedestrian.

Also try to avoid getting into conflicts. If you are staying out late in a bar or a club, there is always a small chance that someone will try to pick a fight especially if you are in a group and a single guy is showing hostility. That is a trap by local thugs looking for a brawl. That is not because you are a foreigner: it is just the "law of the streets": anyone can be the target. Just ignore them and walk away no matter what they say or do. The chances that this will happen are very low, but stay alert. Do not try to make fun of the locals in your native language. Almost everyone has at least a basic understanding of English and is familiar with foul words and curses.

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, call 192 (police), 193 (fire) or 194 (ambulance). Always carry the phone number and an address of your embassy with you. In case of injury or illness, the place to go is the Urgentni centar (Emergency center), Pasterova 2 of the Clinical Center of Serbia. Be aware that not all medical facilities have personnel that speak English or other foreign languages. Consult the embassy of your country if possible.

Pharmacies on duty 24/7:

Prvi maj, Kralja Milana 9, +381-11/3344-923

Sveti Sava, Nemanjina 2, +381-11/2643-170

Zemun, Glavna 34, +381-11/2618-582

Gay and lesbian travelers

In Serbia, including Belgrade, violence against gays and lesbians can occur. Gay and lesbian travelers should be discreet. As a rule, public displays of affection between two people of the same sex are likely to be met with verbal abuse and/or physical violence. There are several gay bars and clubs all around the city and they tend to get quite full. Be cautious when arriving at or leaving such clubs. Often there are security personnel guarding the immediate entrance. There are quite a few LGBT parties organized periodically by various organizations and at different locations, such as Loud and Queer events. Avoid football fan crowds at all costs if you think you may be a target because of your appearance which tend to be extremely violent and homophobic. There are several LGBT organisations at your disposal in Belgrade. Find them on sites such as Queeria, Gay-Serbia.com, Labris, etc. Chatting to the LGBT community on Gayromeo.com will help to identify the main hotspots. Search on Facebook and FourSquare.com information on current venues including (LGBT bars) Fenix, Mystic, Smiley; (gay-friendly bars) Cafe Downtown; (gay-friendly restaurants) Supermarket and Zaplet; and (gay clubs) Apartman and Pleasure.

Contact

International telephone code for Serbia is 381. Most cities in Serbia and mobile operators have 2-digit area code. There is only one area code for Belgrade and that is 11. Typical land-line phone number in Belgrade +381-11/xxx-xxxx. Typical mobile phone number is +381-6x/xxx-xxxx. From Serbian land line phone, use 00 prefix for international calls (e.g. 0041-20/xxx-xxxx for Amsterdam, Netherlands), and prefix 0 for calls inside Serbia but outside your area (e.g. 021/xxx-xxxx for Novi Sad, Serbia or 06x/xxx-xxxx for Serbian mobile). If you dial inside the same area, there is no need to use the prefix (just dial xxx-xxxx).

Basically, the whole city is covered with mobile networks of all three Serbian operators. It is easy to buy and charge cheap pre-paid numbers at the kiosks around the city. If you use 064 pre-paid number, use *100# to check the credit, for 063, use *121#, for 061, use *123#.

There is a number of red-colored payphones across the city, operated by telephone cards available at the kiosks.

Stay healthy

When it snows in winter, the streets are covered in sleet the next day, so be careful when walking. The Košava, a notorious Belgrade wind, may give you a cold more quickly than you would expect, particularly in winter - take care and dress appropriately.

Also be mindful of the high number of stray animals roaming streets, particularly dogs, even in the city center. Whilst it is very rare that they demonstrate outward signs of illness or aggression, err on the side of caution and avoid coming in physical contact.

Pharmacies – called 'apoteka' – are found throughout the city center. Look for lit green crosses on building façades. Some, such as the one in Kralja Milana Str, are open twenty-four hours. These will carry a range of prescription medicines, as well as over-the-counter products like pain killers and vitamin supplements.

Cope

There are dozens of Gyms around the city, every neighborhood has at least one. Prices range (so as quality) €20–50 per month, or a bit less for 12/16 visits.

In case you need to fix your umbrella you may do that in the last remaining umbrella service in town in Visnjiceva 4.

United States, Kneza Miloša 50 (The Consular Section is co-located with the rest of the U.S. Embassy Belgrade at 50 Knez Milosa St. If you are facing the front of the Embassy from Knez Milosa, the entrance to use for consular services is the right hand door, to the right of the American flag. (There is a back entrance to the Embassy on Sarajevska Street, but it is not open to the public.)), ☎+381 11 361 9344, [134].

Get out

Transportation

Travel between cities in Serbia, and the whole former Yugoslavia, is mainly done by bus. There is a route planner for bus travel inside the whole of Serbia (including Kosovo): polazak.com [135]. Belgrade is also connected by train with most major cities in Serbia. The timetable for trains can be found on the website of Serbian Railways [136]. One can also take the commuter/regional train to destinations near Belgrade, such as Pančevo. Some commuter trains are run by the Serbian Railways, while others are run by the public transit corporation of Belgrade. The timetables for these commuter/regional can also be found on the website of the Serbian Railways [137].

Sites of interest

Go to Avala mount for a day in nature. During summer, bus 400 will take you there from Voždovac terminus. Climb the Avala Tower - the view from the top is magnificent.

Go to see the famous hill Oplenac(Serbian Cyrillic: Опленац), (town of Topola) south, near Belgrade. There is a Mausoleum of the Serbian Royal family Karadjordjevic (St. George's Church),museums. You can also enjoy the famous royal Oplenac the vineyard. Surrounding the town of Topola is a famous wine growing region with excellent wine, try it!

Go to Vinča or Lepenski Vir archeological sites and see how prehistoric people used to live.

In summertime, spend a day and night in bungalows for two on Sava river in Boljevci.

If you like visiting monasteries, they are plentiful on Fruška Gora mount. The beautiful city of Novi Sad is nearby.

See Obedska bara (Obedska pond or Obedska bog, Serbian Cyrillic: Обедска бара) is a large swamp-forest area and natural reserve stretching along the Sava River in Southern Srem (Serbia), some 40 km west of Belgrade.The pond is an authentic complex of stagnant tributaries, marshes, pits, marsh vegetation, damp meadows and forests.

Pay a visit to Vršac which features a prominent mountain famous for its vineyards and wine.

Go to Sremski Karlovci(Serbian Cyrillic: Сремски Карловци) north of Belgrade, near Novi Sad (old road).Sremski Karlovci have a very rich history, numerous monuments, museums, churches, galleries, the famous wine cellars, and others. Some sites:The Patriarchy residence,Karlovci’s Grammar School – the oldest Serbian high school,The Chapel of Peace – built in 1817,The Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church, etc.

Cruise the great rivers Danube and Sava interesting to nearby destinations.

See Viminacium known archaeological site, near the village of Stari Kostolac (near Pozarevac) about 80 km south-east of Belgrade.Viminacium (VIMINACIVM) was a major city (provincial capital) and military camp of the Roman province of Moesia (today's Serbia), and the capital of Moesia Superior. The city dates back to the 1st century AD and contains archaeological remains of temples, streets, squares, amphitheatres, palaces, hippodromes and Roman baths...

If you are interested in Serbian spas there are plenty of them, closer to Belgrade, the Bukovička Spa(Ser: Буковичка Бања) -Aranđelovac, Selters Spa(Ser: Селтерс бања)- Mladenovac, and Banja Vrujci (Ser: Бања Врујци)- Mionica- Valjevo, is about 80 km south from Bg.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!